Self declared Venezuelan ‘interim President’ Juan Guaido has called for a military uprising in a video shot at a Caracas airbase. In the video he is accompanied by a number of soldiers, and detained activist Leopoldo Lopez.
The three-minute video was shot ahead of a planned anti-government rally on Tuesday, in which Guaido said that the soldiers deployed into the streets would be acting to “protect Venezuela’s constitution.”
Guaido had earlier claimed on Twitter that he was meeting with “the key military units” of the Venezuelan army as “the beginning of the final phase of Operation Freedom.”
The army “had taken the right decision” to move out against President Nicolas Maduro, he wrote. He also called on Venezuelans to go out on the streets and help to “mobilize” the army against the government.
‘Traitor troops’ stage coup attempt in Venezuela – VP
Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez, meanwhile, blasted Guaido’s move as “a coup with the aims to flood the country with violence.”
The army “stands firm in defense of the National Constitution and the legitimate authorities,” he said, adding that the military units all across Venezuela are staying at their bases and remain loyal to their commanders.
Venezuelan defense minister says army stands with President Maduro, denounces Guaido as traitor
Venezuela’s defense forces stand behind President Nicolas Maduro, Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino has said, after opposition leader Juan Guaido claimed he had military backing in his attempt to oust the country’s chief.
He added that the defense force “reject this coup movement that aims to fill the country with violence” and stated the “pseudo political leaders” fronting “this subversive movement have used troops and police with weapons of war on a public road in the city to create anxiety and terror”, calling them “cowards”.
RT.COM / ABC Flash Point News 2019.
